Ancestry visas
Q. I am a South African who has been living in London for just over a year on an ancestry visa. How long do I actually have to be here before I can apply for citizenship, and how does one go about this?
My dad told me that every year I have to officially contact some people so that the British authorities have a record of me being here. Is this true?
A. On completion of five continuous years of residence in the UK under ancestry visa conditions, you will be eligible to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
Under current law, after residing in the UK for a further 12 months while holding ILR, you may apply for British Citizenship. As you will not qualify for ILR by July 2011, which is when the pathway to British Citizenship will increase by a further two years, you will only be eligible for citizenship and a UK passport after residing in the UK for eight years from the start of your visa.
There is no requirement for you to advise the UK Home Office of your residency status each year.
» For more, see 1stcontact.com
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